➡️The Superiority of Knowledge Over Wealth in 40 Aspects

Imām Ibn Al-Qayyim (may Allāh have mercy on him) said in his remarkable book "Miftah Dar As-Sa'ādah" (The Key to the Abode of Happiness): "The superiority of knowledge over wealth is understood from several perspectives:" First: Knowledge is the inheritance of the Prophets, whereas wealth is the inheritance of kings and the rich. Second: Knowledge guards its possessor, whereas the possessor of wealth guards his wealth. Third: Wealth diminishes with expenditure, whereas knowledge grows when shared. Fourth: When a wealthy person dies, his wealth leaves him, but knowledge enters the grave with its possessor. Fifth: Knowledge governs wealth, but wealth does not govern knowledge. Sixth: Wealth is possessed by both believers and disbelievers, the righteous and the wicked, whereas beneficial knowledge is exclusive to believers. Seventh: Kings and people of all ranks need scholars, whereas only the needy and destitute require the wealthy. Eighth: The soul is ennobled and purified by acquiring knowledge, which is its perfection and honor, while wealth neither purifies nor completes the soul; rather, hoarding wealth leads to stinginess and greed. Ninth: Wealth often leads to arrogance and pride, whereas knowledge fosters humility and servitude to Allah. Tenth: Knowledge is a means that leads the soul to its ultimate happiness, whereas wealth is a barrier between the soul and its true happiness. Eleventh: The richness of knowledge is far superior to the richness of wealth because financial wealth is external to a person’s essence and can disappear overnight, whereas the wealth of knowledge remains and continuously increases. Twelfth: Love for wealth enslaves its owner, making him a servant to his wealth, whereas knowledge leads one to servitude to Allah alone. Thirteenth: Love for knowledge and seeking it is the foundation of all obedience, while love for wealth and seeking it is the foundation of all evil. Fourteenth: A wealthy person's value is determined by his wealth, whereas a scholar’s value is determined by his knowledge. If the rich man loses his wealth, he loses his value, whereas a scholar’s value is everlasting. Fifteenth: Wealth belongs to the material world, just like the body, while knowledge is akin to the soul. The relationship between them is like the difference between the body and the soul. Sixteenth: A true scholar would never exchange his knowledge for all the wealth in the world, whereas a wise rich man, when he sees the virtue of a scholar, would wish to trade his wealth for knowledge. Seventeenth: No one has ever obeyed Allah except through knowledge, while most acts of disobedience stem from wealth. Eighteenth: A scholar calls people to Allah through his knowledge and character, whereas a wealthy person calls people to the worldly life through his wealth and lifestyle. Nineteenth: Wealth is often the cause of its owner's destruction because it is beloved to people, and they may conspire against its possessor. Meanwhile, the wealth of knowledge is a means of life and survival. Twentieth: The pleasure derived from wealth is either imaginary or base and animalistic, whereas the pleasure of knowledge is intellectual and spiritual, resembling the delight of angels. Twenty-First: The wise of all nations unanimously condemn greed for wealth while praising and honoring the pursuit of knowledge. Twenty-Second: The world respects a person who renounces wealth but criticizes and belittles one who renounces knowledge. Twenty-Third: A person is praised for giving away wealth but is praised for acquiring and embodying knowledge. Twenty-Fourth: Wealth is accompanied by fear and sorrow—fear before acquiring it and sorrow after obtaining it—while knowledge brings peace, joy, and happiness. Twenty-Fifth: The wealthy will inevitably lose their wealth, leading to pain and suffering, whereas knowledge remains, bringing continuous pleasure.